A little after midnight
by CatsBalletHarveySpecter
Summary: (AU) Harvey and Donna meet while being stuck in an elevator for a couple of hours on Christmas Eve/New Year's Eve; Harvey is a Grinch and is annoyed with a neighbour that decided to decorate the building for the holidays; Donna is worried she'll miss a party; no one knows they're in there; Repost from SS.


Repost from SS. Prompt: (AU) Harvey and Donna meet while being stuck in an elevator for a couple of hours on Christmas Eve/New Year's Eve; Harvey is a Grinch and is annoyed with a neighbour that decided to decorate the building for the holidays; Donna is worried she'll miss a party; no one knows they're in there

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**A little after midnight **

Those blasted carols were still playing through the speakers when he strolled into his office that morning, despite it being a week past Christmas. He'd already sent two requests to IT department that the god-awful music be turned off, but both requests had been deferred until after the new year. He made a note to fire whatever employee was responsible for this after he'd made it abundantly clear that holiday celebrations were only to be held in the office between December 23rd and 25th.

Settling into his office chair, he dusts the remaining snowflakes off his shoulders before tossing his heavy wool coat over his leather sofa and peering out the window at the snow-covered city. He hated the snow almost as much as he hated the holiday's, so his foul mood was only growing worse with each falling snowflake.

"Mr. Specter," his assistant's voice cuts through the speaker on his desk, "Just a reminder that Forbes and Montgomery will be here in 15 minutes in the conference room."

"Thank you," he replies coldly, taking a seat at his desk and scrolling through his hundreds of unopened emails.

He replies to a few messages he deems "important" before his assistant Cameron interrupts and delivers an assortment of paperwork that needed to be signed. He sighs as he accepts the pile and acknowledges Cameron with a subtle nod. No amount of schooling ever could have prepared him for the amount of paperwork that came with being the CEO of the largest up and coming electronics company in Manhattan; and to this day it was his least favorite task.

He'd been named one of the most successful men under the age of forty, considered himself relatively good at his job and was well respected by his employees, but paperwork made him question whether this job was meant for him. He never wanted to work in the family business, he'd always planned on becoming some type of lawyer, but things changed when his father passed away. He and his father were close, and the news of his sudden death hit Harvey extremely hard, making it an easy decision to defer his second year of law school and take over his father's company.

A few employees passing his office stop to straighten one of the "Happy Holiday's" signs that are hung in the hallway and he can't help but roll his eyes. He hated everything about this goddamn season. The lights, the music, the decorations. It was all too much.

He refused to celebrate anything that involved Christmas or New Years, and his office was noticeably the only one on the 50th floor that lacked decoration. He didn't participate in any of the company holiday parties or traditions, but he didn't prevent them from happening either. The office decorations were the only thing he used his position as the company head to place limitations on, seeing as things that sparkled, jingled or involved the words holly and jolly drove him mad.

He notices two men outside his office and with a heavy sigh, he moves to greet them. If he could only get through today, the last official day of the holiday season, all would be well. Well, as well as it could be while being stuck working a job he only partially enjoyed for a company that's namesake meant everything to him.

If he could only get through today at _Gordon's Electronics, _he knew the rest of the year would go off without a hitch.

.

.

"Hey Rachel, will we be seeing you tonight?" Donna calls as she strolls into the young intern's office on the 49th floor of Gordon Electronics.

"I wouldn't miss it! You and Louis have been planning this office party for the past month," the brunette smiles up at her boss.

"Are you bringing Mike?" Donna smirks, sitting on the edge of Rachel's desk.

"I never should have told you about that…" Rachel blushes, embarrassed to have drunkenly told her boss about her budding relationship with the company delivery boy, Mike.

She'd been working for Donna for nearly six months and though Donna was her boss, the pair got along extremely well, and Rachel felt comfortable talking to Donna and asking for advice. Donna was everything Rachel wanted to be one day; she was smart, confident, quick-witted and empathetic, all traits Rachel admired. In addition, she was an incredible boss who had worked her way up to her position.

Donna began working for the company as a secretary fresh out of school, convincing Gordon Specter she would be of good use to a man like him when his company made it big someday. She was just a young ambitious girl with a dream back then, shooting her shot and hoping for the best and it couldn't have worked out any better. She worked as Gordon's assistant as his company began to grow and sure enough, she was right about the future success of the business.

She went from working as Gordon's assistant to running the company's PR department in record time and her knowledge of the company and its foundation made her the go-to person for any crisis at the company. Donna was one of the only staff members that had been around for it all, every milestone, every first and every change.

When Gordon suddenly left them, it rocked her world. He was an excellent boss who always wanted what was best for her, she would even say he treated her like one of his own daughters. She helped keep the place running after he left them and helped Gordon's oldest son, Harvey, learn the ins and outs of the family business when he decided to take over for his father.

That was one of the only times she'd ever interacted with her now-boss. She spent nearly a week teaching him about the empire his father spent decades building and now only interacted with him when she needed a form signed or permission to change company protocol. She didn't know much about the man other than the fact he hated the holidays and kept to himself. He was most definitely the workaholic type, but he was respected by his employees and he left her to do her own thing, so she had no problem with him.

Excusing herself from Rachel's office, Donna finds herself sorting through some final details for the office New Years' party until the afternoon sun begins to set and the snow begins to fall harder outside her office, dusting the city in a blanket of white. Christmas was her favorite time of year, between the fresh blanket of snow that covered the bustling city and the holiday traditions she tried to uphold, there was always a promise of something new that accompanied this time of year, something that made her feel hopeful. Christmas in Manhattan was a truly magical time of year. Holiday lights were strung over the cobblestone streets, glistening trees lined the corner of every block and every store window was filled with an elaborate display.

With her boss's evident hatred of the holidays, she'd taken it upon herself to plan the office holiday party and New Year's party for the past few years, and this year the newest hire on the 50th floor, Louis Litt, had insisted on helping her. Their Christmas party was a hit among their colleagues, and she was certain tonight's event would be no different.

They had rented out a ballroom at an art gallery downtown and hired the best caterer and jazz band their budget could buy and for the first time in a few years, she had a date. She wouldn't say she was married to her career, but her workload didn't exactly allow for much dating time. She began dating a man named Mark in the fall and so far, things between them were going well. He was a lawyer, so he was understanding of her busy schedule and he was definitely easy on the eyes, but as hard as she tried to overlook it, she knew there was no real future there. Mark was just a way to pass the time, which she knows is wrong, but men weren't exactly lining up to date someone who spent nine hours a day, six days a week at the office.

By the time she's wrapping up her work for the day, it's time for her to head to the venue and meet the coordinator before her co-workers begin to arrive.

.

.

Harvey trudges down the hall towards the elevator with his jacket tossed over his arm, his hat in his hand. His day was packed with back to back meetings and he couldn't wait to get home and crack open a beer while watching the game. The snow had begun to fall even heavier so he called Ray and intended on getting home before the driving conditions worsened.

A few party-goers strolling by him place a New Years' crown on his head as they drunkenly blow their party horns and disappear into an office at the end of the hall. He angrily pulls down a set of streamers lining the corridor halls and the "Happy New Year" sign that accompanied it, tossing it into the back corner of the vacant elevator he stepped into, along with the gold tin foil crown from his head.

He slumps against the wall of the elevator and rolls his eyes. Why did people want to celebrate the new year anyway? It was just another day, there was absolutely nothing special about it.

"Hold the elevator," someone calls before a maroon manicured hand reaches out to stop the nearly closed door.

He recognizes the redhead that steps into the elevator with him as a woman named Donna. He'd always known who she was, she'd worked with his father for nearly a decade, but he'd never really spoken to her outside of the office.

She's wearing a stunning black silk gown that drops in a low v across her chest and wraps up around her neck, leaving her freckled back exposed, her hair tossed over one shoulder in a low curly ponytail. A first glance, she takes his breath away.

He'd always thought of Donna as a beautiful woman, but she was just that, a beautiful woman. He didn't know anything about her, aside from the things his father used to tell him about the "spunky young redhead that he would really hit it off with." To him, Donna was the pretty redhead that worked downstairs and kept the company affairs in order, and though he wouldn't deny he found her stunning, he didn't know anything else about her.

"Lobby please," she says without turning to look back at him.

He leans forward and presses the button for the ground floor, his arm grazing her bare one and sending a jolt through his system before he clears his throat and stands up straight again, smoothing his suit jacket in the process.

She catches a glimpse of the discarded decorations out of the corner of her eye as the elevator begins to descend and she can't help but smirk to herself and chuckle.

"You really do hate the holidays, don't you?" she asks, turning to face him. Her hazel eyes fall upon his chocolate brown ones and for a moment, he forgets he's been asked a question.

"I wasn't exactly trying to keep my feelings about the holiday festivities a secret," he replies with a smirk, the first form of a smile to grace his face all day.

"Could have fooled me," she replies, shifting the pale pink coat that's hanging over her arm and revealing a gift bag containing a few bottles of wine and a satin scarf.

"Who says I hate the holidays anyways?" he challenges, looking at her with such earnest she feels seen.

"Please," she begins with a scoff, "You never attend any holiday events, your office is the only one without any decorations, you limit the amount of time the office can be decorated, I've never once seen you wish someone a "Happy Holiday" and this day, in particular, is the only day I've ever seen you leave the office before 6 pm."

"You've been paying attention to me?" he questions with a cocked brow and a shit-eating smirk. His day may have been grueling, but fate had placed a breathtaking woman in front of him tonight and he wasn't one to pass up the opportunity to flirt. He never considered himself a lady's man, his job taking up too much of his time for him to really play the field, but he took advantage of an opportunity to flirt when it presented itself.

"I kind of have to, you're my boss," she replies, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink as she tries to turn away from him.

"You don't directly report to me," he points out. He doesn't mean to put her on the spot or make her feel uncomfortable, but he's curious as to why she's noticed all these niche things about him.

"Doesn't mean you couldn't fire me," she smirks, taking the upper hand in the conversation as her confidence begins to shine through.

"We both know how smoothly things would run around here without you."

She smiles at his statement, grateful to be acknowledged for all the hard work she'd done to honor his father's legacy over the years. Harvey was nothing if not an appreciative boss, but he kept his interactions with his employees strictly professional and this was the first conversation she'd ever had with him that as about something besides work.

"Thank you, Mr. Specter. I appreciate that."

"Please, call me Harvey. Now, are you going to come out and say it?" he smirks as he folds his arms over his chest.

"Say what?"

"All those observations… you're into me," he beams, "Well, either that or you're a serial killer planning to murder me, and you don't peg me as a serial killer type."

She stares back at him with a blank expression, flabbergasted by his accusation. She was not, by any means into her boss. She noticed these things about him because it was her job to notice, and it was a simple as that. Back when she still worked for Gordon, he would often tell her that she would really hit it off with his eldest son, but the longer she worked with Harvey, the more she was convinced Gordon had been wrong, she and Harvey had nothing in common.

"Have you been drinking or something?" she chuckles when she finally manages to find her voice, "I hardly even know you; how could I be into you?"

"Beats me, maybe you're one of those people that believe in that whole "Serendipity" thing," he teases, a full-fledged smile now spread across his face.

"I'm not, and I don't," she responds with a sarcastic tone.

"Good, now that we've cleared that up and I've made a total ass of myself, can I go back to hating today in peace?" he asks with a straight face, only causing her to snicker when she catches sight of the discarded decorations once again.

He hated everything about this day. He'd spent all afternoon counting down the hours until he could call it a night, and yet here he was, laughing with a stranger in a metal box. Well, she wasn't exactly a stranger, but she was a mystery to him.

They stand in silence as the elevator continues its slow descent to the ground floor, Donna awkwardly shifting her feet and Harvey staring as a scuff mark on the tip of his shoe. Feeling the need to break the silence, and the unnerving tension that accompanied it, he clears his throat and turns towards her.

"I know that we've obviously met before, but I feel the need to re-introduce myself. Harvey," he smiles as he extends his hand.

"Donna," she says as she shakes it.

"My father spoke really highly of you," he adds, her palm still enclosed in his.

"He was a wonderful man, truly one of a kind," she smiles softly, recalling all the times Gordon had gone out of his way to look after her.

"That he was."

"So, I'm guessing you're on your way to the party?"

"And I'm guessing you're not?" she asks, already knowing the answer.

"Someone special meeting you there?" he deflects, desperate to keep the conversation focused on her.

"Someone. Why do you ask?"

"Well because it would be a shame if a dress like that went to waste," he blushes with the compliment he gives, "just someone?"

"Just someone, we'll see about the special part."

As the elevator passes the 31st floor the lights flicker and it lurches forward, coming to a screeching halt that sends both Donna and Harvey flying towards the back wall. She reaches out and steadies herself using his arm before the lights shut off and they're left at a standstill in complete darkness.

"Are you alright?" He asks from somewhere behind her.

Her eyes take a moment to adjust to the darkened room but eventually she spots him leaning against the wall wearing a puzzled expression.

"Yeah, you?"

"I'll be fine. Must be the storm or something."

"I'm going to call for help," she tells him, fishing her phone out of her purse only to reveal she had no service.

Harvey retrieves his phone from his pocket only to find it's dead and he drops his hands to his sides with a frustrated sigh. He watches as she tries the emergency phone in the elevator a few times before giving up with an equally as frustrated sigh as the one he let out.

Figures, all he wanted to do was get out of here and now he was trapped in an elevator with a woman he hardly knew.

"We're stuck," She states as more of a statement than a fact.

"I'm sure they'll have it fixed in no time; someone has to have seen us get in this elevator."

6:24pm

She doesn't know how long they stand on opposite sides of the elevator in silence, but it feels like an eternity.

She tries her cell phone a few times, holding it up in various spots hoping she'll find a signal, but to no avail. She's going to be late to the party, and she hopes Louis managed to get everything in order before guests began to arrive.

In all the commotion, she'd nearly forgetting that Mark would be waiting for her. She had a hard enough time convincing him to attend with her, after he protested that he didn't like black tie events, words she knew really meant he didn't like her coworkers. They planned to meet at the venue a little after six and she knew he wasn't bound to be happy that she was late.

She really should just break up with the man, find someone who was more patient, more understanding. She's about to launch into all the reasons she should stay with Mark when the sound of Harvey's voice prevents her from going down that dangerous rabbit hole.

"Do you mind if I-?" He gestures to the ground and sinks down against the wall when she replies to his question with a timid nod.

She kicks off her heels and joins him on the floor, her back pressed against the cold elevator wall as she leans back and closes her eyes for a moment. What a way to kick off the new year, stuck in a box with someone she hardly knows.

Crossing her feet at the ankle, she smooths her gown and studies the discarded decorations in the corner; some tinsel, a sign and one of those cheesy New Years Eve crowns. She pushes her bag containing the two bottles of wine and her winter gear towards it, wondering how much longer she could spend sitting in silence.

He stares over at her, her pale skin a perfect backdrop for her freckles in the dim light, her lips painted a perfect shade of crimson red. If she wasn't one of his employees he would've used some corny pick up line on her and brought her home to try and drown out his holiday sorrows, but something about her made him think she'd never go for one of his lines; she was different.

"I bet this isn't how you wanted to spend your evening, trapped in a box with me."

"You aren't so bad," she smiles, turning to face him for the first time since the elevator stalled.

The second his eyes meet hers he's in free fall, drowning in a pool of amber and honey. It's dark and his shadow is cast across half of her face, but her eyes still him for a moment. They beckon him in and warn him away all the same and he's enchanted, bewitched even.

In the few interactions they'd had over the years, he'd never noticed her eyes. And in this moment, he's glad because he knows had he noticed them, they would have interacted far more than a few times.

"I could do with someone a little less grinchy though," she adds with a self-satisfied smirk, knowing she was pushing a button.

"I'm not grinchy," he remarks, crossing his own ankles to mirror her seated position.

"Those poor decorations beg to differ!" She turns her gaze towards the pile of things in the corner.

"They had it coming," he smirks, knowing he had no justifiable excuse for his grinch-like actions in tearing down the office decorations like the grinch wreaking havoc on those innocent Who's. (Yes, he hated the holiday's but he wasn't uncultured, he knew the classic tale of how the Grinch Stole Christmas)

"I don't see what's so great about the new year anyways, it's just another day."

"It's hopeful."

"It's an excuse to party."

"Wow, you really are a full-blown scrooge, aren't you? Is it just the new year you hate or did Christmas wrong you too?" She teases, her tone lighthearted and joking but the look that flashes across his face tells her she may have crossed a line.

"It's not a crime to hate the holidays," he mutters, his expression somber.

"No one hates the holidays without reason. Let me guess, the prom queen broke your heart on New Years Eve in high school and now you spend every year resenting the holiday and everything it represents," she pushes. She's not sure what comes over her, after all this man could take away her job with the snap of his fingers, but she's suddenly curious as to what could make someone hate this season so much that they refuse to celebrate it.

He doesn't answer, but rather he stares straight ahead at the sealed elevator doors, the silence filling the space between them numbing.

"It was about 6 years ago, when it was broken," he says into the darkness and it takes Donna a moment to register that he's talking to her.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to… you probably deserved better than her anyways," she stutters, not expecting him to have confirmed what she'd suspected was the root of his holiday hatred.

"I could never deserve better," he whispers and she swears she sees a tear roll down his cheek.

"She was my girl," he adds with a soft sob, before wiping his tears on the back of his sleeve and turning his head to face the wall next to him.

It takes Donna a moment to process what he's said, but before she can respond, he continues.

"Grace was three when she got sick, she would've been 7 this year. We lost her between Christmas and New Years, my wife and I."

"Harvey I'm so sorry- I had no idea."

"She loved Christmas. She loved everything about it. The snow and the lights, the music. I guess it all just serves as a reminder that she's gone."

Donna reaches out and places her hand over his in his lap and squeezes the back of his palm.

"I didn't know you're married," she whispers after a few moments of sitting in the dark in silence.

"I'm not, anymore. We couldn't make it work after we lost Grace, we tried but it was no use, she was the only thing we truly had in common and when we lost her, we lost our only connection."

"You don't have to say anything, I didn't mean to bring down your holiday spirit," he adds, his gaze shifting to where their hands were still connected.

"I don't mind," she mumbles, shifting a little bit closer to him.

7:13pm

She was pacing, three steps forward and three steps back. They'd been trapped way longer than she expected, and she was getting restless.

After Harvey's sudden confession they sat in silence on the floor of the elevator for a while until she could no longer sit still and felt the need to start moving.

He's not sure why he told her about his daughter, or his failed marriage, but he something about her made him feel like he could trust her. He'd once heard something about it being easier to open up to a total stranger and maybe there was merit to that point because he felt a million pounds lighter than he had in years. He never told anyone at the office about his daughter, and for the first time in nearly a decade he remembered what it felt like to breathe.

He proceeded to tell her some of his favourite holiday memories involving his daughter, their tradition of cutting down a tree, how she always insisted they watch The Grinch on Christmas Eve, the way her eyes lit up when she saw the tree on Christmas morning. With each story he told, he felt lighter and Donna's hand in his, the way she listened intently as he spoke, made recalling memories of his daughter even easier.

She asked about his wife and he told her he'd had one serious relationship since his marriage ended but it ended when he stepped in for his father and his career took over most of his free time.

Her heart ached for him; losing his daughter and his father, having his entire life pulled apart only to end up in a job she knew he felt obligated to keep. She actually admired the way he stepped up after his father's passing. Gordon has always told her his son was going to be the greatest lawyer the city had ever seen, so she was genuinely surprised when he agreed to fill his father's shoes at the company. Now that she knew more about his home life, she was far beyond impressed with his loyalty to his father.

"If you keep pacing like that, you're going to wear a hole in the floor," he calls up at her from his seat on the floor.

The party was definitely underway by now and if everything was going according to the plan, the appetizers were being served and Louis was delivering _her_ welcome speech.

Hopefully at this point in the evening someone would realize she was missing and send help, but she was beginning to fear that everyone had already gone home for the evening and they would be trapped until morning.

"Good then at least we can get out of here," she answers, continuing with her pattern; three steps forward, three steps back.

"What makes you like the holidays so much?" He asks, hoping to take her mind off their current predicament and stop the pacing.

"What?"

"I told you why I hated the holidays, but you haven't told me why you like them so much."

She halts, stopping in front of him and pausing to consider his question.

"I guess I just like that they come with the promise of starting over."

"You want to start over?"

"Not in so many words. I love my career and I'm happy, but I like the idea that if I didn't, I could wake up tomorrow and start from the beginning. I know it sounds pretty cliché but as a kid I always thought the new year meant I could be anything I wanted, and as an adult I realize that we are who we are, but that doesn't mean we can't strive to be a better version of who we are."

"I like that, it's insightful."

"Yeah well, I have a feeling after standing up this party tonight I'm going to at least get to start the dating aspect of my life over again."

"I'm sure he'll understand," Harvey smiles softly.

"I'm not sure I want him too," she admits, rejoining him on the elevator floor.

"He's wonderful it's just, there's no _spark. _He's kind and he listens but we just don't have the kind of connection I thought we would. Oh god, I'm so sorry you don't need to hear about my dating life," she blushes, suddenly remembering that she's talking to her boss.

"Please, don't apologize. May I say something?" He asks and waits for her to respond before speaking again.

"I know we've known of each other a while and while we've only just now _officially _met, I can tell that you're the kind of person that deserves a man that makes every evening feel like New Years Eve."

She blushes and stares down at the ground, his words slamming into her like a freight train. He had a point, she'd been with Mark for months and nothing ever sent her stomach fluttering the way Harvey's sentence just did, and she hardly knew him.

"Why did I just tell you all of that?" She blushes. When she stepped into the elevator with her boss earlier this evening, she never imagined they would find themselves seated on the floor talking about love, life and loss.

"Why did I tell you everything I told you?" He tosses back and she knows he has a point. Maybe it was a result of being trapped in a confined space, maybe it was because she found him easy to talk to, but they'd worked together for years and never exchanged more than a simple "hello" and now, she knew more about him than she did most of her coworkers.

"Maybe fate wanted us to meet tonight," she muses.

"I don't believe in fate."

"You don't?"

"Fate, no. Serendipity, I'm starting to change my mind," he says as his eyes flick down to her lips and back up to her eyes, an action that does not go unnoticed.

The air between them suddenly feels charged and it takes everything in him not to lean in and taste her red lips. He knows his emotions are running high because of the situation; they were trapped, they were sharing feelings, but his urge to kiss her was suddenly all consuming.

He wonders if she can feel it too, this raw energy flowing between them. But he can't do it, she clearly had a boyfriend and he was her boss, it would be unprofessional to cross that line.

For a moment, she wonders if he's going to kiss her, and in that same moment, she hopes he does. She never really looked at Harvey _that_ way, sure she found him attractive, as any woman would but she never really had the chance to get to know him.

After tonight, seeing his vulnerable side, the loyalty and love he had for his family, she knew she was attracted to him in more than a physical sense. They had some sort of connection and she wondered if he could feel it too. She couldn't explain it, but it was unlike anything she'd ever felt before. It was like she was drawn to him, but she wouldn't let herself act on impulse in case what she was feeling was situational.

They were trapped in a confined space together; it was possible her emotions were stemming from fear and she wouldn't let herself do something impulsive that she would regret the next day.

"What do you say we crack open one of those wine bottles in that bag?" He asks, gesturing to the gift bag she'd placed in the corner along with the decorations.

"I'm not sure that's the best idea," she says, knowing that adding wine to the mixture would likely end in her doing something she shouldn't.

"Common Donna, we're trapped in an elevator together, we have to do something to pass the time."

"Fine, pass me the bottle."

8:36pm

With all hope of being rescued abandoned, they found themselves opening the second bottle of wine while they decorated the elevator with the few decorations Harvey had torn down.

Donna convinced him it would make her feel better about missing the party and he was quick to concede as long as he didn't have to help decorate.

She was pretty tipsy at this point, the wine and lack of food bringing her to a euphoric state as she waltzed over to where Harvey was leaning against the elevator panel and placed the paper crown on his head.

"Oh no, I agreed to decorations I never agreed to this," he protests, reaching to place the crown on her head instead.

"Please, for me," she bats her eyelashes at him and he concedes, placing the ridiculous crown back on his head.

"Fine, but if you tell anyone about this, you're fired," he warns, but the small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips tells her he doesn't mind.

"We both know this place would be doomed without me."

"Ms. Paulsen, that theory can be tested."

"Go on, fire me, I dare you," she challenges, stepping towards him with a confidence that makes him feel small.

"See, I want to, just to prove a point. But if I fire you, how would I get to know you?"

"You want to get to know me?" She nearly whispers, her voice catching in her throat.

"Would that be alright?" He asks, his palm grazing the side of her hip before settling on her waist and tugging her a step closer.

"It would be-"

Her alarm blares and echoes through the elevator, causing the pair to step apart as she scrambled to retrieve the phone out of her bag. She silences the alarm that is reminding her to go over her final speech before she was set to deliver it an hour and she sighs.

"Everything okay?" He asks.

"Yeah, just a reminder to go over my speech before the dancing starts," she explains.

"Ah dancing, another reason I hate holiday parties," he chuckles.

"You don't like dancing?"

"I just never understood why people enjoy it so much, it's nothing special."

"It can be," She muses, "holding someone you care about in your arms, holding them so close you can feel their heart beat, you wrap your hands around her waist, maybe she puts her head on your shoulder…"

"Sounds like something that happens in movies. So, what else was on this New Years agenda?"

"Well, there's a jazz band, so after dinner the guests could all enjoy the dance floor. Then, a little before midnight I was going to thank everyone for coming before we began a countdown."

"And let me guess, you also love the countdown," he stares over at her.

"Of course, there's something about that moment when you begin to count down from ten. All the couples will find each other but it's the single people that have it best."

"Why's that?" He questions, the gleeful look on her face as she spoke enchanting him.

"Okay, say you're at a party and your single," She begins to explain and is met with a skeptical look.

"Play along," She instructs, swatting at his arm to regain his interest.

"You're single and at a party and the countdown begins,"

_Ten._

"You begin to scan the room for a single woman amongst the sea of couples. Your searching, wandering eyes looking for a cute but respectable young women," she says, fake scanning the imaginary crowd as she takes a step towards him.

_Nine._

He follows her lead and takes a step towards her, mockingly copying her action and scanning the non-existent crowd.

_Eight._

"You're searching the crowd when suddenly, your eyes meet mine. We've never met."

"And you're wearing a long black dress that I find breathtakingly beautiful?"

"Breathtakingly beautiful?" She gulps but he only nods and steps towards her again, continuing the countdown for her.

_Seven._

_Six._

"You cross the room towards me, your eyes locked on mine," she says, her eyes fixed on his as they both take another small step in the direction of the other.

_Five._

_Four._

"And finally, we meet," she whispers as they come face to face in the centre of the elevator.

_Three. _

"And the crowd starts to get excited, but you don't hear a thing, because your eyes are fixed on hers."

"On yours," he clarifies, reaching down caress her cheek before dropping his hands to her hips and tugging her half a step closer, her body now close enough to feel how fast his heart is racing.

_Two._

He leans in, closing his eyes as he prepares for their lips to meet.

She leans up on her toes, anticipating the kiss as he whispers a soft, "_One."_

Before he can kiss her, the elevator screeches and jolts forward, before it begins to descend, the lights snapping back on.

The pair jolts apart once again, flustered and shaken.

The ride to the lobby is silent as Donna slips her heels back on and tosses her jacket on over her now wrinkled dress. When they reach the ground floor, a technician greets them with a confused smile.

"About time!" Harvey says as the doors slide open.

The man, who's name badge reads Gary, looks from Harvey's crown, to the decorated elevator to Donna and snickers.

"I should run if I want to make it in time for that speech," Donna says as she steps out of the elevator in a hurry.

"Good luck," he does his best to smile as he sees her off, disappointed that the elevator started moving when it had.

"Happy New Year Harvey," she says softly before placing a soft kiss on his cheek and making her way into the street to hail a cab.

"You two didn't- you know?" Gary smirks, looking at the two empty wine bottles on the floor of the elevator.

"It's not like that," Harvey mumbles, watching as Donna got into a taxi and speed away.

"It's always like that," Gary responds as he pays Harvey on the shoulder and leaves him standing alone in the lobby.

10:47 pm

After deciding to head back to his office and do some work, Harvey finds himself staring at the bottom of an empty scotch glass.

Was he really so blind to have worked with Donna for years and never noticed the connection they had? Could he really go on pretending it didn't exist now that he knew it did?

He always thought his dad was joking around, telling him that the girl who worked for him was meant for him, but after tonight, he was starting to think his dad was onto something.

He was never one to believe in fate, but he meant what he told her in that elevator. After tonight, he could be made to believe in serendipity.

Did he really hate this season enough to not go after her all because she was at a party that he said he would never attend?

He'd spent so many years hating this day, this season and everything that it brought with it, he almost forgot why other people enjoyed it.

But tonight, spending time with her, learning why she loved this season, something shifted. He knew it was time he tried to move on, tried to put his anger behind him.

He knew what he had to do, and he was hoping he wasn't too late.

Before he could even process what he was doing, he was on his feet and running for the elevator.

He pauses before getting into a cab to look up at the sky and whisper, "If you're up there dad, I sure hope you were right about her."

11:43pm

As predicted, Mark was long gone by time Donna got to the party, where she was greeted by an extremely worried Louis.

After assuring him that she was alright, she prepared to make her speech. Mark being gone was probably for the best, because after her evening with Harvey, she was certain Mark wasn't the one for her.

She always thought Gordon had been teasing her when he joked that she would really hit it off with his son and that "one day he'd be dancing at their wedding," but now she was starting to think he was onto something.

She had always thought of Harvey as someone who was married to his job and had no emotional attachment to anything, but now, she saw him in a new light.

After steadying her nerves with a glass of champagne, she took the stage and prepared to give her thank you speech.

"As we enter the new year, let's remember to be kind to each other. This is a chance for a new beginning, so let's use tonight as a reminder to celebrate all that we were given and to look forward to what's to come," she grins as she raises her glass to toast the room of employees.

She makes the rounds afterwards, graciously accepting congratulations on a well-planned event and wishing an assortment of coworkers a happy holiday.

As Louis sets up on stage to begin the countdown, she finds herself by the bar, watching the room. All the young couples are wrapped in each other's arms, eagerly awaiting midnight as singles begin to introduce themselves to one another in hopes of a midnight kiss.

She doesn't bother looking around the dance floor because she knows the only person she wants to kiss isn't there.

It's ridiculous, wanting to kiss a total stranger at midnight, only he wasn't a total stranger, not really anyways.

She's known of Harvey Specter practically her entire adult life and though she only official met the man today, it feels like she's known him for years.

She watches as her coworkers begin the countdown at ten. She spots her intern Rachel with the delivery boy Mike on the far side of the room and waves, and watches as Louis' wife, Shelia, takes the stage so she can kiss him at midnight.

_Nine._

_Eight._

The excitement continues to unfold around her and for the first time since she was a teen, she decides she doesn't want to be here when the countdown hits one.

.

He's running, fighting against the snow in hopes that he makes it. He knows it's bordering midnight, but he has to try. So, he gets out of the taxi that's trapped in city traffic and he runs.

.

She excuses herself and heads to the lobby of the museum, reaching the door just as the countdown hits one and the room behind her erupts in a plethora of cheers.

.

He can see the gallery up ahead and knows that this is it. He has to go for this.

.

Grabbing her jacket, she steps out onto the art gallery steps and looks out on the snow-covered city.

Happy New Year Donna Paulsen, Happy New Year.

She stands outside for a while, thinking back on all she'd accomplished in the past year, and thinking about what she wanted to accomplish this year. It's a little past midnight when she decides that this year, she'll really put herself out there and take chances.

She's too busy staring out at the snow-covered ground across the street to hear the footsteps behind her.

"You're missing a pretty good party" he calls, causing her to turn around and face him.

"What are you doing here?" She calls, walking towards where he's standing at the bottom of the steps.

"Haven't you heard? I love holiday parties."

"Funny," She deadpans.

"I actually came because you forgot something, in the elevator," he replies, nervously stuffing his hands in his coat pocket as she approaches him.

"I did?" She asks hopefully.

He reaches into his interior pocket and pulls out the scarf she left and awkwardly hands it to her.

"Oh," she mumbles, doing her best to hide her disappointment.

"I didn't know if you needed it, so I figured I should drop it off."

"Well, thank you," she smiles, sticking it in her own coat pocket and doing her best to flash him a smile.

"You didn't have to come all the way down here for that," she adds.

"I did, because you forgot something else on the elevator," he says before wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her flush against his body where his lips crash into hers.

She's hesitant at first, caught off guard by his swift action but as soon as she realizes what's happening, she gives herself to the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck as he deepens it.

"I'm glad you didn't forget that," she whispers when she pulls back and rests her nose against his, the snowflakes falling catching on her lashes.

"I'm sorry I missed the countdown," he replies in a whisper, "but maybe this can be our new midnight?"

"Does this mean you've decided to celebrate the new year?"

"I'm open to giving it a chance," he smiles as he picks her up and twirls her around in his arms before placing her back down on her feet.

"What do you say we go ring in the new year inside and you can show me why you love dancing so much?"

"Are you sure? You have a reputation for never showing up at these kinds of events. People are going to talk."

"My dad once told me that you can't run from your fears, if I've learned anything today, it's that he was always right. I meant what I said in that elevator Donna, I would love to get to know you, if you'll let me. And I'd really like to start with a dance," he says, extending his hand.

Taking his hand, she smiles up at him and begins to follow him inside.

"I don't mind if I do."


End file.
